Carpet manufacturing device



Filed June 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet L C INVENTOR March 1954 J. H. COULLIETTE 2,671,494

CARPET MANUFACTURING DEVICE F iled June 18. '1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yf m flouzeula INVENTOR Patented Mar. 9, 1954 CARPET MANUFACTURING DEVICE James H. Coulliette, Chattanooga, Tenn., assignor to Industrial Research Institute of the University of Chattanooga, Chattanooga, .Tenn.

Application June 18, 1951, Serial No. 232,201

5 Claims.

This invention relates to rugs and fabrics generally and to methods for making them.

In making rugs it has long been customary to push loops of yarn or similar cords or threads through duck or other supporting fabric and then to bind the loops to the bottom side of the fabric by rubber or other adhesive material. Since the cost of the fabric base represents a substantial part of the total cost. I have devised a new type of rug in which the base fabric can be eliminated, resulting in a cheaper rug having greater flexibility than heretofore.

It is .an object to provide a rug or carpet having a combined base material and binder.

Another object is to provide a new method for making loop type rugs cheaply and efiiciently.

A further object is the provision of a rug having greater flexibility than heretofore.

Other objects will be evident in the followin description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of a novel twisted loop carpet.

Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation of a novel cut pile carpet.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the needle-holding bar of a rug-making machine, and showing the needles passing through a flexible sheet of material.

Figure 4 is a part sectional side elevation of a twisted loop rug or carpet having a resilient base layer and thin binder.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary part sectional elevation of a perforated forming sheet and the overlying binder material holding twisted loops of yarn.

Figure 6 is a part sectional side elevation of a novel rug or carpet-making machine employing a forming sheet and spraying and drying equipment.

Figure 7 is a part sectional elevation of a fragment of a perforated sheet with recesses, and a carpet formed thereon.

Figure 8 is a part sectional fragmentary elevation of a carpet made by a device similar to that shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a part sectional fragmentary elevation of a carpet and a toothed wheel forming device.

Figure 10 is a part sectional fragmentary elevation of a carpet comprising a recessed, resilient backing layer, and means for pressing loops of yarn in the recesses.

In Figure 1, the rug is shown reversed, with the bottom or backing material I uppermost.

iii)

The twisted loops 2 of yarn or other material are partially imbedded in binder material I. Normally the material I lies on the floor and the loops project upward. The binder or backing material I may be or natural or synthetic rubber, vinyl compounds, or any suitable flexible or resilient material. Ordinarily, loop twist .or cut pile rugs or carpets are made by passing loops of yarn through duck or other supporting fabric and then holding the loops in the fabric .by applying rubber cement to the bottom side of the fabric. In my construction, however, I eliminate the fabric, attaching the twisted loops or yarn directly to the flexible rubber or other supporting material. This provides a cheaper and more flexible rug or carpet.

In Figure 2, the same construction as illustrated in Figure 1 is shown except that the loops have been cut, forming a cut pile or carpet.

In Figure 3 bar 3 holds vertical, spaced needles 4 which are fastened in holes in the bar by means of thumbscrews 5. This bar is oscillated vertically by means of attached rods 6. Flexible sheet of material 1 may be of paper, rubher, or the like and may be punctured by the needles 4 when they are pressed down, carrying yarn (not shown) through the sheet I. The yarn or other thread, cord, or filament may be threaded through the needles in customary manner. The strips or elements 8 help to support the sheet, the needles passing through the gaps between the elements, or a single perforated plate can be used.

If rubber or other flexible resilient material is used for sheet I, then the natural pinching action of the material will tend to hold the yarn even without additional cement or binder. A

thin coating of rubber cement could be applied to the bottom surface of the sheet, however, to insure that the loops will be held. A rug or carpet made according to this method is shown in part section in Figure 4. The yarn 2 has been carried by needles (not shown) through resilient sheet 9 of rubber or other material and thin layer it of rubber cement or the like is sprayed or brushed on the surface of sheet 9 to bind the yarn in place.

In Figure 5, sheet Il may be made of thin metal, plastic, paper, or the like and has uniformly spaced perforations 12 therein. The loops 2 of yarn or the like are carried through perforations l2 by needles and are held by suitable mechanism, in usual manner. Then rubher or other flexible layer is applied to the yarn and sheet in liquid form or by cementing. After 3 the rubber solidifies and holds the bases of the loops, the sheet II is pulled away, leaving the yarn imbedded or attached to the sheet I as shown in Figure 1. The rubber may then be cured in an oven.

In Figure 6, perforated metal or other sheet II is fed from roll i3 over toothed timing element I4 which is driven in synchronism with the vertical oscillatory movement of needles I5, seen endwise, by means of bevel gear I6 attached to element I4 and meshed bevel gear I fastened to shaft I8 which is rotatable in bearings I9 and in arms 2| and 22 extending from framework 23. Bevel gear 24 is attached to the upper end of shaft I8 and is meshed with bevel gear 25 to which disc 26 is fastened coaxially, both being rotatable on stub shaft 2'! which is fastened to frame arm 2|. Connecting rod 28 is pivoted to disc 26 and to slide 29 which is vertically reciprocable in a flared slot or track in block 30 supported by the framework of the machine. This slide is somewhat longer than the width of the rug or carpet to be made and has a row of needles I5 depending from it being held in place by thumbscrews 3|. Pulley 32, fastened to shaft I 8, may be used for driving the shaft and associated mechanism.

Bar Or plate 33, supported by the framework, extends across the machine and has a plurality of perforations 34, one for each needle and placed to allow passage of the needle therethrough. This bar serves to support perforated metal or other sheet II as it passes under the needles. Tank is supported by block 39 and holds latex or other fluid plastic. The latex may be discharged through a series of nozzles 33, seen endwise, flow being controlled by valves 3? and by valve 33 which controls the admission of fluid or gas to the tank under pressure. Housing 39 having upper ports 43 is supported by the ma chine above the sheet 5 I and carpet formed thereon and electrical heating unit M is supported above the carpet, being fastened to insulators 42. fixed to the housing. This heating unit may be connected in a suitable electrical circuit.

The sheet H passes over roller 33 rotatable on stub shaft it which is fastened to the machine framework. The sheet then passes around flanged drum or roller 35 which is rotatable on shaft 57 attached to the frame. 48 is attached coaxially to drum 48 and is meshed with chain 55 to drive it. The cylinder of drum 4% may have projecting teeth to engage the chain to prevent slippage. As indicated, sheet II also passes around drum or roller I3 which is rotatable about fixed shaft 49. This drum may have a smooth cylinder or toothed as desired. Roller 59 is rotatable about a shaft attached to the frame and serves to guide the formed carpet base I onto drum or reel 5I which is rotatable on shaft 52 attached to the frame. This drum may be handrotated or power-rotated to wind the carpet thereon; or the drum can be eliminated entirely.

In operation, endless metal or other sheet or belt I! is moved under needles 15 when chain drives sprocket 48 and attached drum 46, the chain being driven by pulley 32 and shaft 18, gear I7, and sprocket Ida. The drums 46 and. I3 serve to carry perforated sheet H across plate 33 and needles I5 are oscillated vertically by means of connecting rod 28 and associated gears 25 and 24. The needles are supplied with yarn ISa from suitable spools not shown. The vertical movement of the needles is timed to pass through the holes Ha in the sheet, carrying the yarn through. The

Toothed wheel yarn is then caught by hooks 53 and is pulled down into loops, in known manner. The needles are pulled up out of holes Na and then carry yarn through the next succeeding hole, a looping being formed each time. The holes can be sufficiently large to allow needle movement and continuous movement of sheet II, or the movement of the latter can be intermittent. If the pivot 54 is arranged so that needles I5 are moved at maximum speed as they enter or leave the holes in sheet I i, there is less chance for the sheet to strike the needles.

After the loops of yarn are formed, the bottom ends 55 of the loops are carried by moving sheet I! under nozzle 36 through which liquid latex from tank 35 is sprayed :lown on said ends. A layer of latex thick enough to imbed the loop bases is formed and a series of nozzles or other coating means can be used. A roller could be employed to apply the latex if desired. The moving sheet II then carries the loops and latex under heating element ii which is suitably connected in. an electrical circuit. The length of housing is enough to allow adequate curing or vulcanization of the rubber coating as it passes through the oven. When the carpet or rug passes out or" the oven, it is pulled away from perforated sheet I! and passes under guide pulley and around drum or spool 5I on which it is wound. The perforated sheet II continues to move around drums :35 and !3. It is obvious that various plastics or other materials can be used instead of latex. The valves 31 and 38 may be regulated to control the outlet orifice and spray pressure. respectively.

A roll of paper, plastic, or other material can be used in place of perforated sheet I I. In that case the paper will be wound on drum I3 and will be punctured by the needles which will carry the yarn through. The paper can then be pulled off the loops after the base layer is formed or the paper can be left in position, being suitably colored or decorated.

As shown in Figure '7, the perforated metal sheet l I?) may have recesses I I0 surrounding the holes through which yarn is pushed. The diameters of holes i to are enlarged so that rubber sleeves 56 will be formed around the bases of the yarn loops when the latex is applied and cured. These resilient sleeves will tend to hold the yarn loops in vertical position and so will prevent much of the flattened and mis-directed loops which have been a problem in the past. Rugs or carpets made according to this construction will tend to wear longer and will be more resilient than carpets made in accordance with past practice. The rubber sleeves provide resiliency in addition to helping keep the yarn loops vertical. These loops may be sprayed with a thin coating of rubber, melamine, or the like for the same purpose. As illustrated in Figure 8 the sleeves 53 may be of frusto-conical shape. This sleeve construction can be used also with carpets in which yarn loops are passed through fabric.

Figure 9 shows a novel type of rug or carpet, and a novel method is employed. Thick forming sheet has slots 58 into which teeth 59 of wheel '68 are meshed as the wheel is rolled along the sheet. The teeth press yarn 55 into slots 58 and then rubber or other resilient sheet 6: is cemented to the bases of the loops of yarn, the cementcoated rubber being forced down by roller '82 following toothed wheel 66, both being displaced by suitable mechanism. Yarn 55 may be fed from a spool. After the cement dries the carpet is pulled up so that loops 5.; are pulled out of holes or recesses 58. Any desired number of rows of yarn, at any desired spacing may be employed. The sheet 57 may be of metal, rubber, or any suitable material.

In Figure 10, rubber sheet 63 has slots or recesses 64 into which yarn 55 is pressed by oscillating plunger 66 shown in fragmentary manner. Catch 67, also shown in fragmentary fashion, is oscillated vertically and is phased to pull the yarn up just before plunger 65 forces the yarn into one of the recesses 64, as sheet 63 is moved along table 56, under the plunger. Catch 67 and plunger 63 can travel horizontally with the sheet for short distances, if desired. This will form loops of yarn 69 projecting upward from rubber base 63 and the loops can be retained by a pinching action of narrow slots or they may be fastened in the slots by cement, latex, or the like. The cement may be applied by bending the sheet to separate the layers, or otherwise. The cement may be applied before the yarn is pushed into the slots, or the rubber can be softened by a solvent before applying the yarn which will be firmly attached after the solvent dries. lhese methods of making rugs and carpets make possible relatively cheap fabrication.

Many other changes of detail can be arranged without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for making carpets, an endless perforated belt, means for driving said belt, a plurality of needles for carrying yarn through perforations of said belt, means for synchronizing movement of said needles with movement of said belt, means for applying binding material to bases of the loops of yarn formed in said perforations and means for separating said binding material and adhering loops of yarn from said belt.

2. The device of claim 1, and including means for heating said binding material to cause ouring thereof.

3. In a machine for making carpets, an endless belt having apertures therethrough, a plurality of needles for carrying yarn through said apertures, a plate supporting said belt beneath said needles and having apertures aligned therewith, a pair of rollers supporting said belt for movement, a sprocket meshing with apertures of said belt to cause movement thereof, means for driving said sprocket and said needles in synchronous relationship, means for spraying 5 binder material upon loops formed in said belt by said needles, and roller means for separating said carpet from said belt.

4. In a machine for making carpets, an endless belt having apertures therethrough, a plu- 10 rality of needles for carrying yarn through said apertures, a vertically slidable member for holding said needles, guide means for said member, means including gear means for reciprocating said member, a tank for binder material supported on said guide means, a sprocket meshing with apertures of said belt to cause movement thereof, a pair of rollers supporting said belt, a sprocket on the shaft of one said roller, a chain connecting said sprockets, gear means for driving said first-named sprocket, a shaft connecting said gear means, said needles being reciprocated at a rate to enter the apertures of said belt, and a plate supporting said belt beneath said needles and having apertures aligned therewith.

5. The device of claim 4, and a frame supporting said shaft and gear means for rotation.

JAMES H. COULLIETTE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1935 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 446,074, Bechetoille (A. P. C.), published June 1, 1943.

Number Number 

